There’s no doubt that managers have a lot on their plate these days. Between managing remote work, divisive politics in the workplace and an increasingly diverse workforce, they certainly have their work cut out for them. The reality is that in today’s world, the workforce is diverse in just about every way you can think of – which is great because diversity strengthens your business. But it also means that…
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Our world has changed. In 2021, that’s certainly an understatement. And perhaps nowhere is this more visible than in the workplace. If you’ve noticed that office talk has gotten a lot more political recently, you’re not alone. If you’re wondering about your rights as an employee or responsibilities as an employer or manager, keep reading. Talking Politics At Work There’s no doubt we’ve seen a big shift in how we…
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When you’re the owner of a small or medium-sized business, you’re often also the accountant, HR person, marketing director and office manager! I’ve worked with so many business owners who struggle with the same problem: there’s not enough of them to go around and you are having to do things that you really have no business messing with! It’s admirable that you roll up your sleeves and get into the…
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A new $900 billion coronavirus relief bill is now law. The question of whether or not the federal Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL) and Emergency Family and Medical Leave (EFMLA) will be extended has been answered: yes. However, as part of the new $900 billion coronavirus relief bill that recently became law, an employee will no longer be entitled by law to take EPSL or EFMLA—even if they have a…
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When business owners think about employee health and safety, their thoughts are generally focused on the physical. Things like avoiding hazards that could cause a staff member or customer to slip and fall. Understanding the laws around testing for COVID-19 in the workplace. However, keeping your workforce safe and healthy includes prioritizing employee mental health. As your workers are coping with the pandemic, they’re under a great deal of stress—even…
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It’s nearly the end of 2020, and what a year it’s been. The entire world has changed the way we interact with friends and family, work, play, shop…and so on. For many business owners, this global shift has made 2020 a year of reactivity rather than productivity. It’s been hard for many employers to look beyond maintaining their cash flow, dealing with fewer staff and customers. Plus, they have to…
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You may have noticed I’ve been very focused on this topic in the past few months. It’s because I’m really concerned for small and medium-sized business owners. Each day I’m seeing articles like “A ‘tidal wave’ of Covid-related workplace lawsuits could be on the way” and noticing the numbers going up on Littler’s COVID-19 Labor & Employment Litigation Tracker. According to Littler, an international employment law firm, since March 12…
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Thinking back to pre-COVID-19 times, how did you manage your employees’ performance? I’m sure it was much easier when you were in the same room as your staff, providing feedback or answering questions when you could make “real” eye contact and read their body language. But when your workforce is at home, things get trickier. Managing and evaluating performance isn’t so straightforward anymore. Here are a few reasons why it’s…
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2020 has presented HR professionals (not to mention everyone!) with some unique challenges. Many organizations have had to make changes to employee benefits because of COVID-19. Despite the unknowns around the pandemic as many organizations forge ahead, it’s time to think about coverage decisions for the coming year. Generally, insurers provide health plan costs for the following year in October, which is approaching quickly. Employers continue to protect the health…
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Many employees have grown accustomed to working 100% remotely because of COVID-19. And according to lots of news lately, that could be here to stay. These estimates predict that 25-30% of the workforce will be working from home regularly by the end of 2021. Why? Lots of leaders have realized that their employees can be engaged and productive while working from home. And it makes good financial sense to many…
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